Apparatus and method for self-cleaning salt cell chlorinator

Abstract

A salt cell chlorinator adapted to run a self-cleaning program by scraping off residual buildup, the salt cell chlorinator having: electrodes arranged a line within a housing, each electrode having: a round shape; a first face; and a second face; rotary wipers arranged within the line of the electrodes, such that each rotary wiper is adapted to make contact with at least one electrode of the electrodes, wherein each rotary wiper is adapted to rotate on the first face or the second face of the electrodes; a drive motor adapted to cause a rotation of the rotary wipers; a control panel adapted to customize the self-cleaning program to run at a predetermined time interval; wherein the rotation of the rotary wipers removes the residual buildup from the electrodes; and wherein the predetermined time interval occurs between occurrences of the chlorination program.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A salt cell chlorinator adapted to run a chlorination program of swimming pool or spa water, the chlorination program occurring by converting saltwater entering the salt cell chlorinator to chlorine water, the salt cell chlorinator being further adapted to run a self-cleaning program to self-clean by scraping off residual buildup, the salt cell chlorinator comprising:
 a housing having:
 a front end; 
 a rear end; 
 a top side; 
 a bottom side; 
 a water inlet pipe; and 
 a water outlet pipe; 
 
 a plurality of electrodes arranged a line within the housing, 
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having:
 a first face; and 
 a second face, which is opposed to the first face; 
 
 a plurality of rotary wipers, 
 wherein each rotary wiper of the plurality of wipers is arranged within the line of the plurality of electrodes, such that each rotary wiper of the plurality wipers is adapted to make contact with at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes, 
 wherein at least one rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers is positioned between two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and thus adapted to rotate simultaneously on the first face of one of the two adjacent electrodes and on the second face of the other of the two adjacent electrodes; 
 a drive motor adapted to cause a rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers; 
 a control panel adapted to customize the self-cleaning program to run at a predetermined time interval; 
 wherein the residual buildup is formed on the plurality of electrodes during running of the chlorination program; 
 wherein the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers removes the residual buildup from the plurality of electrodes; and 
 wherein the predetermined time interval occurs between occurrences of the chlorination program. 
 
     
     
       2. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a front cover adapted to fit on the front end; and 
 a rear cover adapted to fit on the rear end; 
 such that the housing is enclosed by the front cover and the rear cover. 
 
     
     
       3. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of mounting rails;
 wherein the plurality of electrodes is arranged in the line by being mounted onto the plurality of mounting rails. 
 
     
     
       4. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first busbar; and 
 a second busbar; 
 wherein the first busbar and the second busbar are adapted to transfer an electric charge from the control panel to the plurality of electrodes. 
 
     
     
       5. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 4 , each electrode of the plurality of electrodes further comprising:
 an outer edge; and 
 an electrode tab extending outwards from the outer edge; 
 wherein each electrode of the plurality of electrodes makes contact with the first busbar or the second busbar via the electrode tab. 
 
     
     
       6. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive shaft passing through each electrode of the plurality of electrodes and passing through each rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers;
 wherein the drive motor rotates the drive shaft; 
 such that the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers is caused. 
 
     
     
       7. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 1 ,
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having a diameter; and 
 each rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers further comprising: 
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 a center portion at a midpoint between the first end and the second end; 
 a first blade; and 
 a second blade opposite to the first blade; 
 wherein a length between the first end and the second end is equal to the diameter. 
 
     
     
       8. A salt cell chlorinator adapted to run a chlorination program of swimming pool or spa water, the chlorination program occurring by converting saltwater entering the salt cell chlorinator to chlorine water, the salt cell chlorinator being further adapted to run a self-cleaning program to self-clean by scraping off residual buildup, the salt cell chlorinator comprising:
 a housing having:
 a front end; 
 a rear end; 
 a top side; 
 a bottom side; 
 a water inlet pipe; and 
 a water outlet pipe; 
 
 a plurality of electrodes arranged a line within the housing, 
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having:
 a first face; and 
 a second face, which is opposed to the first face; 
 
 a plurality of rotary wipers, 
 wherein each rotary wiper of the plurality of wipers is arranged within the line of the plurality of electrodes, such that each rotary wiper of the plurality wipers is adapted to make contact with at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes, 
 wherein at least one rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers is positioned between two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and thus adapted to rotate simultaneously on the first face of one of the two adjacent electrodes and on the second face of the other of the two adjacent electrodes; 
 a drive motor adapted to cause a rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers; 
 a drive shaft passing through each electrode of the plurality of electrodes and passing through each rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers; 
 a control panel adapted to customize the self-cleaning program to run at a predetermined time interval; 
 wherein the residual buildup is formed on the plurality of electrodes during running of the chlorination program; 
 wherein the drive motor rotates the drive shaft; 
 such that the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers is caused; 
 wherein the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers removes the residual buildup from the plurality of electrodes; and 
 wherein the predetermined time interval occurs between occurrences of the chlorination program. 
 
     
     
       9. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a front cover adapted to fit on the front end; and 
 a rear cover adapted to fit on the rear end; 
 such that the housing is enclosed by the front cover and the rear cover. 
 
     
     
       10. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of mounting rails;
 wherein the plurality of electrodes is arranged in the line by being mounted onto the plurality of mounting rails. 
 
     
     
       11. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first busbar; and 
 a second busbar; 
 wherein the first busbar and the second busbar are adapted to transfer an electric charge from the control panel to the plurality of electrodes. 
 
     
     
       12. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 11 , each electrode of the plurality of electrodes further comprising:
 an outer edge; and 
 an electrode tab extending outwards from the outer edge; 
 wherein each electrode of the plurality of electrodes makes contact with the first busbar or the second busbar via the electrode tab. 
 
     
     
       13. The salt cell chlorinator of  claim 11 ,
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having a diameter; and 
 each rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers further comprising: 
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 a center portion at a midpoint between the first end and the second end; 
 a first blade; and 
 a second blade opposite to the first blade; 
 wherein a length between the first end and the second end is equal to the diameter. 
 
     
     
       14. A method of maintaining a salt cell chlorinator in a pool system, the salt cell chlorinator being adapted to run a chlorination program of swimming pool or spa water, the chlorination program occurring by converting saltwater entering the salt cell chlorinator to chlorine water, the salt cell chlorinator being further adapted to run a self-cleaning program to self-clean by scraping off residual buildup, and the salt cell chlorinator comprising:
 a housing having:
 a front end; 
 a rear end; 
 a top side; 
 a bottom side; 
 a water inlet pipe; and 
 a water outlet pipe; 
 
 a plurality of electrodes arranged a line within the housing, 
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having:
 a first face; and 
 a second face, which is opposed to the first face; 
 
 a plurality of rotary wipers, 
 wherein each rotary wiper of the plurality of wipers is arranged within the line of the plurality of electrodes, such that each rotary wiper of the plurality wipers is adapted to make contact with at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes, 
 wherein at least one rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers is positioned between two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and thus adapted to rotate simultaneously on the first face of one of the two adjacent electrodes and on the second face of the other of the two adjacent electrodes; 
 a drive motor adapted to cause a rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers; 
 a control panel adapted to customize the self-cleaning program to run at a predetermined time interval; 
 wherein the residual buildup is formed on the plurality of electrodes during running of the chlorination program; 
 wherein the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers removes the residual buildup from the plurality of electrodes; and 
 wherein the predetermined time interval occurs between occurrences of the chlorination processes; 
 the method comprising the steps of: 
 installing the salt cell chlorinator in the pool system; 
 programming the salt cell chlorinator using the control panel to customize the self-cleaning program to run at the predetermined time interval, wherein the self-cleaning program is set to run for a predetermined length of time; and 
 setting the salt cell chlorinator using the control panel to run the chlorination program, wherein the chlorination program is adapted to stop when the self-cleaning program is running, and wherein the chlorination program is adapted to restart when the self-cleaning program is finished. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined time interval is 14 days. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined length of time is two minutes. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the rotation of the plurality of rotary wipers occurs during the predetermined length of time. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 ,
 each electrode of the plurality of electrodes having a diameter; and 
 each rotary wiper of the plurality of rotary wipers further comprising: 
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 a center portion at a midpoint between the first end and the second end; 
 a first blade; and 
 a second blade opposite to the first blade; 
 wherein a length between the first end and the second end is equal to the diameter. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first blade is adapted to point towards the top side and the second blade is adapted to point towards the bottom side when the chlorination program is running and when the self-cleaning program is not running. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , the salt cell chlorinator further comprising:
 a first busbar; and 
 a second busbar; 
 wherein the first busbar and the second busbar are adapted to transfer an electric charge from the control panel to the plurality of electrodes.